Issues

House Judiciary Committee

Sensenbrenner was first appointed to the House Judiciary Committee shortly after he was sworn into the Congress in 1979.[6] During his thirty year tenure on the committee, the Congressman has managed the impeachment proceedings of federal judges Samuel Kent and Walter Nixon, along with the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton.[7]

In addition, Sensenbrenner serves as the Republican Ranking Member on the on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. In addition, Sensenbrenner serves on the House Judiciary Subcommittees on Courts and Competition Policy and is a member of the Task Force on Judicial Impeachment which is responsible for handling impeachments of federal judges.[8]

Specific votes

Fiscal Cliff

Sensenbrenner voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257/167 vote on January 1, 2013.[9]

Analysis

Congressional Staff Salaries

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Sensenbrenner paid his congressional staff a total of $883,916 in 2011. Overall, Wisconsin ranks 32nd in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.[15]

Net worth

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Sensenbrenner's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $15,678,876 to $21,782,825. That averages to $18,730,850.50, which is higher than the average net worth of Republican Representatives in 2010 of $7,561,133.[16]

National Journal vote ratings

2011

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Sensenbrenner was 1 of 3 members of congress who ranked 113th in the conservative rankings.[17]

Political positions

Percentage voting with party

November 2011

Sensenbrenner voted with the Republican Party 87.1% of the time, which ranked 217 among the 242 House Republican members as of November 2011.[18]

Recent news

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